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Show FRANCISCO VASQUEZ CORONADO 163 There was no public press in those days to herald far and wide the news of this latest discovery so promising to the church and crown. The viceThis was the office of the representatives of the church. roy had endeavored to maintain secrecy as to the facts contained in the report of the friar, but all in vain.*” Rivalry and jealousy were apparent on all sides. Before the emperor were laid petitions from the Marquis del Valle, Nufio de Guzman, Alvarado, and others, noble Viceroy arranged the with friars of the of Saint order that more than 300 Spaniards and about 800 natives of New in a few days.’’ Coronado Expedition, p. 386: Spain collected ‘‘Friar Marcos 178 Winship, George Parker, of Cibola, even in undoubtedly never wilfully told an untruth about the country that the But there seems to be little chance for doubting a barber’s chair. much talk as well as reports which he brought to New Spain were the cause of among of excitement many sermons, which gave rise to a considerable amount by the reputed glory of the the settlers, whose old-world notions had been upset Very many, though perhaps not all, Montezumas and the wealth of the Incas. of the colonists were stirred with an eager desire to participate in the rich Friar Marcos was not a harvest awaiting the conquerors of these new lands. as charges against him quite as easily the ignore to impossible is it liar, but : Mr. Bandelier has done.’’ by Mr. Winship refers to The use of the words ‘‘even in a barber’s chair’’ to state- under oath, made by a man named Andrés Garcia, relative a statement, In Garcia’s deposiMarcos. ments supposed to have been made by Friar barber, who had shaved the tion he states that ‘‘he had a son-in-law who was a The son-in-law had told the friar after he came back from the new country. talked about the country which had shaved, being while friar, the witness that After crossing the mountains, the he had discovered beyond the mountains. settlements were there, in cities and friar said there was a river, and that many walls, with their gates guarded, towns, and that the cities were surrounded by and that the women wore strings and were very wealthy, having silver-smiths, and that gold and white woolen of gold beads and the men girdles of and slaughter houses they had sheep and cows and partridgesof the Spanish conquest It may be noticed that in the days ation and colonization periods, it was very popular to have procuring before notaries. It seems also that the eustom of dresses; and iron forges. and in the explorcertificates made affidavits, 1 the was easy and quite popular. — time of Cortés, as well as in more modern times, in the litigation between the rival 179In one of the documents submitted Claimants for the privilege of exploring the country discovered by, Briar ill treatment which he claimed Marcos, Hernando Cortés sets forth in detail the t or memorial, he declared to have received from Mendoza. his men from their station that after the viceroy had ordered him to withdraw they were engaged 10 where north, the towards mainland the of coast on the s, he had a talk with Friar Marcos. making ready for extended inland exploration es The as a result of which Francis so that Friar Marcos was made father provincial, of marvels and wonders the pulpits of that order were filled with such accounts eg ae es, a. force. I each urging a right to the coveted prize. The conqueror of Mexico, These petitions failed of their purpose. the friar with wilful charged and jealousy by blinded was himself, Cortés, probably from information obtained relative deception.17® |